HSI supports major political party commitments to tropical forest protection in S.E. Asia, but significant monies must be allocated to do the job properly

3 September, 2013

Humane Society International (HSI) Director Michael Kennedy said today that, “While both major political parties have made commitments to pursue tropical forest conservation to reduce global carbon emissions and protect biological diversity, specific and significant new monies must be assigned if any real headway is to be made.”

Mr Kennedy continued, “With the global talks on climate change and forest protection through REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) continuing to bog down, HSI supports the Coalition’s suggestion of a regional summit on protecting tropical rainforests in the Asia Pacific region. But there will be little to talk about unless there are some new proposals allowing tropical forest states access to resources for the benefit of local communities.”

“Similarly,” said Mr Kennedy, “HSI supports the recent announcements by the Government and the Coalition, allocating $3 million and $300,000 to help protect the Javan rhino and orangutan respectively in Indonesia, but unless such contributions become a part of a longer-term and significant conservation grants program, these species will continue to head towards extinction.”

Mr Kennedy concluded, “HSI is calling upon all political partiesto establish a regional biodiversity conservation program to help Australia’s biodiverse neighbours (particularly Indonesia), by providing an NGO grants program that supports on-ground tropical forest protection work. There is a real crisis in natural resource management in S.E. Asia, and the Australian Government must step up to the plate for the sake of the region’s long-term environmental security.”